Assembly and Replacement of the old DualSID with the MixSID.

Unlike the DualSID i had to replace the two electrolytic capacitors (see picture) because the PCB of the MixSID is much more big and the two capacitors hinders the right installation of the PCB in the SID socket.

For the technical specifications of MixSID go here

Gallery:

source: henning-bekel.de

Ikari has released a new firmware for the SD2Snes Flash Cartridge (Super Nintendo/Famicom). The upgrade instructions can be found here.

Changelog:

• Reworked the in-game hook code again, squeezing out a couple more CPU cycles – compatibility improved further
• BS-X: new bsx page file by LuigiBlood!
  • contains a proper channel map, notably fixes Fuurai no Shiren: Surara o
  • sukue and most likely more games
  • enables a great number of town features
• BS-X: better detection for script-type ROMs (e.g. various magazines)
• Cx4 SKIP instruction timing sped up a bit. Core felt a bit too slow. (this is a makeshift “fix” until I implement the proper Cx4 instruction timing I recently figured out)
• Fixes:
  • fixed occasional black screen after soft reset (L+R+Select+Start)
  • in-game hook memory area visibility quirks fixed in various situations, notably fixes BS Kirby no Omochabako: Pinball
  • BS-X: fix PSRAM corruption on SNES WRAM writes, fixes a number of games, notably BS Kirby no Omochabako: Pinball (tough one)
  • PPU2 H/V count odd/even read flag is reset on ROM load, this fixes games that depend on it when run after games that leave it in a dirty state – notably audio glitches and freezes in Super Punch-Out when run after Fuurai no Shiren.
  • SPC Player: Fixed a long-standing transfer corruption bug that occurred because the original bulk transfer routine didn’t account for CPU stalls by HDMA (which is abundant in the sd2snes menu). This fixes occasionally missing instruments, corrupted samples etc.
  • fixed an occasional deadlock on bootup where the menu would hang at the “Loading…” screen.
  • fixed hard freeze when selecting a file immediately after disabling the “Hide file extensions” option
  • fixed persistent hard freeze in recent games list handling when running games with long path names (> ~120 characters)
  • revert DAC I2S timing to pre-v0.1.7c behaviour, hopefully reducing audio glitches for sd2snes Rev.G units
  • fixed corrupted file list display after playing an SPC file with a scrolled file name
• Cosmetic changes:
  • “Loading” window is replaced by status bar notification to be less
  • disruptive with very short load times
  • configuration settings no longer have the wrong color when changed

Download:

• SD2Snes Firmware v0.1.7d (892)
• SD2Snes Firmware v0.1.7d (Sources) (855)
• SD2Snes Firmware v0.1.7d (Changelog) (923)

source: sd2snes.de

The ‘Ultimate II+’ is a storage solution for your Commodore C64/C128(D) home computer or in stand-alone mode for C16/Plus4/VIC-20 and so on.

This cartridge implements a ‘real’ 1541 Diskdrive for Commodore computers and with a simple press on one of the buttons, a menu will pop-up on the Commodore screen, allowing the user to view the USB storage content, and ‘mount’ .d64 or .g64 images into the Floppy Drive.

These are the most important differences from the previous version of the cartridge (1541 Ultimate-II)

• No more MicroSD! (… that needs to be pushed in with something sharp, could fall into the case, … etc)
• More USB ports (… one to compensate for the lost SD, and just one bonus: 3 in total)
• IEC connector moved (… further back to facilitate use on some C128 models)
• Integrated Ethernet (… no more need for an external USB2LAN adapter, and a smaller step to CS8900A compatibility)
• Dual Flash (… no more worry that a software bug or upgrade failure leads to a bricked device)
• Integrated Speaker (… who connects a speaker set to the audio jack for hearing drive sounds??)
• External power supply connector with auto-switch over circuit (… for stand alone mode, and to lower the demand on the power supply of the C64)
• Improved Audio (… audio codec, 24 bit/96 kHz*, for sampled sounds and SID emulation)
• Improved Tape connector (… no more custom board and able that snaps in on the bottom, but standard USB 3.0 cable)
• Improved power supply circuits (… for some reason they seemed to break down relatively often)
• Slightly bigger and faster FPGA, as to control the new features.

Gallery:

source: 1541ultimate.net facebook.com

A new version of the firmware for the interface Ultimate II+ is released. This version runs ONLY on the Ultimate II+ cartridge.

Ultimate-II+ fixes: 3.0c rev 423:

• Fixed speaker disable
• Fixed G64 loading
• Fixed IEC for use with JiffyDOS and single byte fetches
• Increased output volume on codec output
• Auto audio / REU select for MOD player (yet to do for SID player)

How to update?

• Browse to the U2P firmware file on the USB storage and run it from the context menu.

Download: Ultimate-II+ Firmware v3.0c rev 423 (1127)

source: facebook.com 1541ultimate.net

Some new games or tools (Cracked / Trained or Unrealeased) for Commodore 64 have been released from your favorites groups.

Titles:

• Let’s Invade Preview
• Holy Camels
• Akalabeth – World of Doom +4
• Phase Out V1.4 +4D
• QUOD INIT EXIT V1.6
• Lawless Legends Preview
• Psycastria +4D
• Multi-Player Soccer Manager +MD
• The Cursed Key +2D
• Molar Madness Preview 2 – ISE
• Pentagram V1.20
• Bodily Fluids
• Fantasy +D
• War 70 +MD
• The Sea Voyagers &D
• International Karaoke + Contribution Beta 1
• Ancient Legends Preview +D
• Firequest +6DGF
• Waffles +3TD [english+german]
• Rubicon
• Rhythm Master +DG
• Infernum +1DT
• Awakening +1FDW
• Carrier-Bourne Fighter Simulation &D
• Jungle Drums +6HD
• Sally’s Garden Preview +5
• Sally’s Garden Preview +2
• Demons of Dex
• 10 RUN 10:AN ENDLESS RUNNER
• Hit and Run Baseball +D
• The Lost Vikings Mockup

Download: All Games in One Archive (4028)

source: csdb.dk

Easy replacement of the Commodore Amiga Mouse push-buttons.

Gallery:

ORIC-1 Repair [1 of 2]

Defect:

• Garbage boot Screen and then another Garbage screen (see photo).

Repair:

• Replaced 1 x CPU 6502 (IC5)
• Replaced 1 x RAM HM4864P (IC12)

Gallery of the repair:

————————————————————————————————————————

ORIC-1 Repair [2 of 2]

Defect:

• No audio.

Repair:

• Replaced 1 x Electrolytic Capacitor interrupted of 220uF 10v (C1)

Gallery of the repair:

Spending only 4.70 Euro including postage this interface works good, the conversion from Digital to Analog works perfectly without delays or video artifacts.

source: ebay.com

Commodore 64 (ASSY 250407) Repair

Defect:

• Black screen and a noisy background sound .

Repair:

• Replaced 1 x MOS 906114 (PLA) U17
• Replaced 1 x MOS 6581 (SID) U18

Commodore Amiga 500 (ASSY 312510) Repair

Defect:

• Garbage boot Screen (see photo).

Repair:

• Replaced 1 x FAT Agnus 8371

Gallery of the repair:

As you can see this is a control pad of the Ion iCade case. It is designed to fit an iPad and has a built in stand for holding it.

The iCade is designed to work as a Bluetooth keyboard of sorts with an iPad.

It uses a standard arcade control wiring and is very easy to modify it to work with any interface can convert the signal from Analog to USB, like the PCB of a Logitech Dual Action joypad.

Gallery:

A software developer John Brooks released what is clearly a work of pure love: the first update to an operating system for the Apple II computer family since 1993.

ProDOS 2.4, released on the 30th anniversary of the introduction of the Apple II GS, brings the enhanced operating system to even older Apple II systems, including the original Apple ][ and ][+.

Note: ProDOS 2.4 is now updated to ProDOS 2.4.1.

ProDOS 2.4 adds new features for all Apple II computers, including the 1977 Integer ROM Apple II. The last release, version 2.0.3, was released in 1993 by Apple computer, 23 years previously.

Download: ProDOS 2.4.1 by J.B. Brooks (DSK) (925)

source: archive.org

Photo Gallery update of my Retro Collection / Retro Trash.

Many things in the photos are not visible because are in hidden places or deliberately hidden.

I seem to have accumulated a lot of things in these long years and this is a good time to meditate what to do and what not to do, absolutely do not sell anything or donating, but also not continue to accumulate, in fact from a few months i’m moving just on repairs and modding and i must say that i feel much better.

Photo Gallery:

Commodore Amiga 600 – External Floppy Drive as DF0.

This mod is very easy, just follow the schematic attached to this post.

Gallery:

Schematic:

Works that have been made:

• Cleaning the leaked acid (KONTAKT PLCC)
• Sprayed a thin layer of insulating lacquer (DUE-CI V-66)

Gallery: